


Careful What You Wish For

by ncteddy



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Novelization, Pokemon Journey, Self-Indulgent, Self-Insert, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23829028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ncteddy/pseuds/ncteddy
Summary: After wishing on a shooting star, Tala Bautista finds herself in the Pokémon Sword universe. Her quest? Take part in the Gym Challenge and dethrone the Unbeatable Champion. It's easier said than done, though, because 1: curry isn't her favorite food, 2: setting up tents suck, and 3: everyone in Galar is really, really, distractingly hot. Let the games begin.
Relationships: Hop & Original Pokemon Trainer(s), Hop (Pokemon)/Original Character(s), Hop/Original Pokemon Trainer(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	Careful What You Wish For

**Chapter 1: A Glitch in the Matrix**

Some people think the end of the world will be signaled by a grand-scale natural disaster. Blizzards, eruptions, tsunamis, and earthquakes. The end will come quickly and brutally because no one will have the power to fight off the powers of Mother Nature. Everything will be destroyed in one fell swoop.

Of course, there _are_ other theories. Some people think the world will end with the plague. Or robots. Or aliens. 

The thing is, I won’t know what it’s like to see the end of the world. Whether the human race goes extinct due to a freak volcano eruption or enslavement of the human race by the _Terminator’s_ T-1000s will remain a mystery to me. Why? It’s because I’ll be long gone before everything goes to hell. That much was sure the second I sat down in Anatomy and received my exam results. Up at the top, written in bright red ink, was a 75. My heart had plummeted into the abyss because that score brought my grade in the class way, way down.

_I got a B in Anatomy._

The phrase repeats over and over again in my mind as I stare at the ceiling of my dorm, unable to sleep due to the knots twisting in my stomach. Nothing could soothe me, not even playing a couple of hours of my new game, _Pokémon Sword_. My doom is inevitable. It’s only a matter of time before the Grim Reaper comes with his scythe to collect my soul from my dead body.

_I got a B in Anatomy._

An ugly groan rips from my throat, and I jerk myself into an upright position. I rake my hands through my hair, scowling as my fingers get caught in tangles. Frustration gives me the stupid, sadistic urge to pull at my roots as if that will release my pent-up tension. I hiss. It doesn’t work, of course. I heave a sigh and bury my face in my hands.

Sure, getting a B in Anatomy doesn’t seem all too bad to a normal person, but it’s the worst possible fate for me. I’ve never gotten a B before in my life, but college decided to ruin that perfect streak. Disappointment doesn’t even begin to describe the feelings I have towards myself, but my parents… that’s a different story.

Growing up, my parents had it rough. Both of them came from relatively poor backgrounds, being first-generation children of not-so-wealthy Filipino immigrants. My parents had to work their asses off to get to where they are now; they’re prime examples of the whole “if you work hard then you’ll find success” mantra. I mean, Dad’s a physical therapist and Mom’s a nurse, after all. It’s only natural that they want me to follow in their footsteps to join the healthcare field ‘cause it ensures a financially secure future. 

Who was I to question my parents when their logic was sound? I might not have a burning passion for my career path or a spine to confess I want to do something else with my life, but _c’est la vie_. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

But then I went and messed everything up by getting a B in Anatomy. Having a B in Anatomy can be the deciding factor in whether or not I get accepted into my university’s extremely competitive nursing program. When I tell my parents, their disappointment will be tangible. I feel sick to my stomach at the thought. The lecture won’t be what hurts most, it’ll be the awful atmosphere encapsulating the room when they do it.

I drag my hand down my face and sigh again. Rolling my eyes, a glimmer from my window catches my attention. Curious, I pull back my curtains and peer outside: there’s nothing but a half-empty parking lot illuminated by streetlights. I look up and watch the night sky. The moon is full tonight, showcasing the bunny on it and all. It nestles in the velvety blanket of Outerspace and gives off light like the twinkling stars around it. It’s calming, looking at the stars. For a moment in time, it’s just me, the moon, and the millions of miniature suns on the horizon.

An excited gasp escapes me.

One of the stars shoots across the sky, shimmering, shining, splendid. My inner-child awakens at once. Immediately, I close my eyes and whisper, “I wish I could take control of my life and have it easy. Easy as pie, easy as… easy as a game.”

Once I open my eyes again, laugh dryly. What the hell was I doing? Wishing on a shooting star, thinking it’ll solve my problems? I want to scold myself for being dumb, but I can’t bring myself to. Even if it was childish, wishing on that shooting star helped in a way. For just a second, I was hopeful and it felt like the world wasn’t ending.

I exhale deeply and flop back onto my bed. I’ll deal with the B situation tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the day after that. What I wouldn’t give to be able to not have to face this at all. It’s a miracle in itself how I manage to drift off into sleep.

**(-o-)**

My awakening comes slowly and drowsily. At first, I sense nothing wrong as I stir to consciousness. The pillow beneath my head is comfortable, and the blanket covering me blocks out the cold. My eyelids tint pink from the sunshine hitting my face, and I inwardly cursed at myself for forgetting to shut my blinds. However, my inner dialogue is cut short the moment I recognize other voices in the room.

“Hop, you need to stop pacing around,” a tired woman who’s most definitely not my roommate says. “If you’re that wound up, you can go to the vending machine down the hall and buy some snacks.”

A guy whose voice is still recovering from puberty replies, “I’ve gone and bought half the things from the vending machine already. I’ve no change left on me now.”

“I have some you can take,” a new person says, his deep voice rich yet chipper. “Ah… wait, no I don’t.”

“Did you lose your wallet?” the woman asks with a groan.

There’s a sheepish chuckle. “No, no, I’ve just, ah, misplaced it. I think I left it with Charizard; I’ll get it back when I let him out.”

“Um, I don’t think you can let out Charizard in a patient’s room,” the younger guy says.

The group continues their squabble as I lay there dumbfounded, trying to piece together their conversation. Charizard? I get flashbacks of the nonstop tutorial onslaught at the beginning of _Sword_. If I’d taken a shot every time Champion Leon was called ‘unbeatable’ or how he had a Charizard, I would be in the hospital. Honestly, it’s no wonder the bit from the game has followed me to my dreamland. It is strange that my dream is beginning with me waking up from slumber, though. They normally start off in the middle of things.

I crack my eyes open and find myself in a—in a _hospital room_? Sure enough, I’m laying on a wheeled bed with a thin cloth draped over my hospital gown-donning body. A vital signs monitor stand rests near me, although it’s not turned on. Through the open door, I spot nurses walking by. The air smells as sterile as it looks with everything being bright white and scrubbed spotless. A couple of paintings depicting realistic-looking Pokémon of all things breaks up the monotony. I have to blink twice and squint at them to make sure I’m hallucinating them.

The moment I see who else is in the room, however, I’m a hundred percent certain this is a dream. 

Standing closest to me is the college freshman-like guy who can’t stop fidgeting. He bounces heel to heel, but his gelled, violet hair never falls out of place. His fluffy blue jacket rustles with his movements as he talks with his hands. It’s his bright yellow eyes that catch my attention most; they express every emotion he experiences and make him easy to read like an open book—they’re striking against his dark skin. I decide very quickly he’s cute as hell, like a puppy.

The woman attempting to soothe his nerves is older—maybe mid-twenties?—yet she’s stunning all the same. Her bright ginger tresses are pulled back in a side ponytail with heart-shaped clips speckled throughout. She twirls a pair of glasses in her hands, and it’s hard for me to picture her wearing them since they’d block her brilliant aquamarine eyes. No, not normal blue eyes, _aquamarine_. It’s such a vivid hue it matches her super-saturated crop top peeking out from her unbuttoned coat.

Last but certainly not least is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. Everyone here is most definitely attractive, but he exudes a whole new aura. He looks to be related to the teen; he has the same dark skin, golden eyes, and violet hair. His mane is something else, though. It’s long and fluffy, barely fitting beneath his black ball cap. What’s more interesting is how his beard matches his hair color; either that’s natural, or he’s super dedicated to manscaping. My gaze drifts to the scarlet cape he wears and—

“A _cape_?” I can’t help but blurt aloud. Everyone’s attention snaps towards me at once, and I flinch. That was damn near a jump-scare with how synchronized that was. I offer an awkward smile. “Uh, hi?”

The college kid bounces towards me at once, cheering, “You’re finally awake! I feel like I've been waiting forever on you, mate.”

Mate? I laugh out of habit ‘cause it’s the only way I can deal with uncomfortable situations. “Um, sorry to keep you waiting? What’s going on?”

“You're in the Motostoke General Hospital. A taxi driver was flying over The Wild at sunset when he saw you all passed out in the open. So, he picked you up and brought you over here to the hospital and used your phone to contact us,” the woman explains, looking much more relieved now that the teen has cheered up.

Mr. Handsome chips in, “You scared us a lot, but thankfully you’re all okay.” The dazzling smile he shoots me afterward is more than swoon-worthy.

Wait, wait, wait a second. Charizard. Raid Den. Wishing Star. Colorfully-colored hairstyles and out of this world fashion. I’m having a lucid dream about _Pokémon Sword_ that picks up right where I left off in the game. This is so much better than the _Resident Evil_ nightmares I had last month when watching YouTube playthroughs.

Sonia shifts my focus back to them as she gestures to me and says, “But you did get a head injury, though. You need to take it easy.”

I notice for the first time there’s a bandage wrapped around my head. Hop steps even closer to my bed to inspect them, too. Up close, he certainly looks more like he’s around my age, 20, instead of his 12-year-old-ish self depicted in the game. I guess my brain decided to age everyone up with me? Sonia and Leon look more mid-twenties than I’d anticipated, too. Weird.

“I guess that explains why I don’t remember what happened,” I say, shrugging. Head injuries are the perfect excuse for amnesia because these characters clearly remember a past that featured me which I don’t because it’s not real. Speaking of the past, I ask, “Wait, if I was doing Raid Battles, shouldn’t my Pokémon be here with me?”

“Your Sobble and Rookidee are healing at the Pokémon Center. They were found fainted in their Poké Balls like you,” Leon says. “We’ll go there after you’re discharged. The time seems near since you’re up and moving without any pain. I’ll go find the doctor.”

Sonia grabs Leon’s arm and pulls him back, saying, “Oh, as if you’re going to be able to find her alone. You’ll get lost and end up someplace you shouldn’t, Leon. I’m coming with you.” She looks at me and Hop. “We’ll be back soon.”

The Adults™ leave the room, and Hop sits on the foot of my bed. I stare at him. Up until this point, he’s been a pain in the neck in the game since the developers decided it was a good idea for your rival to hold your hand for the first few hours of gameplay. Now that I can see him face-to-face, though, he’s not that bad. My brain aging him up must’ve mellowed him out somehow. He’s a lot easier to like and be around here.

Hop fidgets under my staring, and his face reddens with a blush. “Uh, do I have something on my face?”

I wave my hand dismissively. “Nah, I was just thinking. Sorry.”

“What’re you thinking about?” He tilts his head. “You haven’t said much since waking up. Usually, you’re more talkative than this. Are you hurt? You should’ve told me earlier.”

To tell the truth or to live a lie? I decide to go with both. “Well, the thing is that I don’t remember anything that happened before we went into those woods and saw that weird Pokémon.”

Hop’s eyes widen to the size of the moon. “Wha—? Are you serious?”

I nod. “Dead serious.”

“This is a huge problem, Tala!” he explodes, throwing his arms out. It throws me off how he uses my name, but there’s no time to dwell on it as he rambles, “How’ve you forgotten everything? A meteor must’ve hit your head! We need to get you x-rayed. You can’t stay on the Gym Challenge with no memory!”

I grab his flailing hands, frowning. There’s no way in hell this kid’s stopping me from going on a journey in my lucid dream world. “Yes, I can! I’ll just need to be extra careful.”

He gapes at me. “Are you mad? You’ve got no memory and you still want to do this?”

Dammit, why is he sensible now? “Imagine if you were hit by a meteor and when you woke up everyone said you couldn’t follow your dreams. I can’t give up on them now. Plus, weren’t you the one who said we need to journey at the same time so we can be ultimate rivals? You should want me to go on.”

“As a rival, yeah, but as your friend, no.” He squeezes my hands and leans in close, sadness creeping into his worried gaze. “Look, I can wait a year with you if that’s what it takes. We haven’t gone to the opening ceremony yet, so nothing’s official right now. We’ll go back to Postwick and train there ‘til your memories are back. Lee will understand.”

My stomach flips at this sudden sentimentality; I didn’t know Hop was capable of this. He dips his head and stares at our hands, his expression as sorrowful as a pouting puppy’s. Guilt hits me full force for making him upset.

“We can’t let one thing set everything back. We’ve waited our whole lives for this, I at least know that much. We can’t let this once in a lifetime opportunity slip on by,” I tell him. I just really want to play this game. “If I promise to be super safe and precautious and everything else like that, not taking any chances on anything, will you change your mind?”

Hop hesitates, his eyes searching mine. It’s strange how lifelike this all feels. It’s as if there’s actually a real person sitting across from me, worrying about the safety of my well-being. No one besides my parents have ever done that… It’s a nice feeling.

Finally, he says, “Alright, fine, fine. This is mad, but we’ll go on.” He throws his head back and chuckles. “And I always thought I was the crazier one. You’re besting me, mate.”

I laugh along with him. “Hey, it’s not the craziest thing to happen. Hey, want to catch me up when what I’m missing? I need to know if there’s any inside jokes or whatever between us so I’m not out of the loop.”

Hop’s more than happy to comply with my wish as he launches into a story at once. I listen with a grin, but it has a lot less to do with his tale and more to do with my accomplishment. Step one of living out my wildest Pokémon dream is complete: I’m beginning my journey. It’s a bummer I couldn’t be there in person to get my starter and catch my first Pokémon, but I’m excited to see what my team is like up close. Hopefully, everything will go alright.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this story :)


End file.
